City weighing new subdivision

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Development at the corner of Carriage and Liberty roads in Liberty Township has been in the works for some time, and now a Final Development Plan has been submitted for consideration by Powell City Council.

During its Tuesday meeting, council held the first reading for the annexation of 9.43 acres into Powell, as well as the Final Development Plan from The Camber Company for the Carriage Farms subdivision.

Proposed by The Camber Company are 23 single-family homes with lot sizes ranging from 6,750 to 10,325 square feet. The development would have one access point on Carriage Road, and there is a bike path shown in the plans that extends north on Liberty Road and east on Carriage Road.

Chris Bradley, founder of The Camber Company, said homebuyers will have options for a basement and a small, loft-type space above the main floor. Powell Development Planner Elise Schellin said the smaller lots will create a variety in the home markets in Powell, which is aligned with the city’s comprehensive plan.

Previously, the Powell Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the developer’s subdivision plans. During those discussions, the architecture team said the homes will be geared towards empty nesters. The development was met with considerable disapproval from neighboring residents in Liberty Township for reasons such as the density of homes in the area, lack of fit with the existing homes, and added traffic congestion.

It remains to be seen what changes may be coming to the intersection of Liberty and Carriage roads. During the meeting, Schellin said there have been ongoing discussions from Delaware County Engineer Chris Bauserman on a potential roundabout being constructed at the intersection. When that road improvement may come, and who will pay for those changes also remain unknown, although Powell Engineer Chris Huber said Tuesday the city will not be responsible for the entirety of the cost for the project, whatever is ultimately decided.

“We haven’t gotten into any great deal on cost-sharing with the developer or the county,” Huber said. “We’ve had some preliminary discussions that, with the annexation, this would be a city-controlled intersection. That does not mean that the city is going to inherit the entire cost of a roundabout or traffic signal that goes in there. The county has expressed that they would be a part of that process with future developments. What percentages have not been discussed specifically to this point.”

Asked by Mayor Frank Bertone about the neighboring community’s reception to the development, Bradley said, “We have, in my opinion, collaborated significantly with the community. They’ve been very involved at the planning and zoning level with all of those public meetings, and we’ve met outside of those sessions.”

Bradley said the biggest concern he is hearing from neighbors of the site surrounds the added traffic the development would bring to the two roads, particularly during school hours. However, he downplayed the additional homes having too much of a negative impact.

“When you look at the traffic counts as they exist today, this project is a very minimal percentage of the additional traffic relative to those counts,” Bradley said.

Bradley went on to say the developers have reserved land on both sides of Liberty Road that would be “dedicated to the city or township in the event there is a roundabout at some point,” although he added that conversations they have had with the county have left him unsure that a roundabout is their preferred option.

The second reading for the proposed development will be held at the next council meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15. Public comments can be submitted via email to [email protected].

Pictured is the illustrative plan for Carriage Farms, a subdivision proposed to be built on 9.43 acres at the northeast corner of the Liberty Road and Carriage Road intersection in Liberty Township.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/09/web1_Carriage-Farms-Illustrative-Plan-2.jpgPictured is the illustrative plan for Carriage Farms, a subdivision proposed to be built on 9.43 acres at the northeast corner of the Liberty Road and Carriage Road intersection in Liberty Township. Courtesy image | City of Powell

By Dillon Davis

[email protected]

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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